Dallas Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison said the court ruling - which determined that the penalty an individual would pay if he or she declined to buy health insurance as mandated under the law is a type of tax Congress can impose - is "nothing more than a massive tax on the American people."

"The Supreme Court has declared the health care law constitutional, but that doesn't make it good policy," she said. "In fact, the majority said it was not ruling on fairness or wisdom of health care policy, but instead on the power of Congress to levy taxes.

She said Americans have had "deep misgivings" about the government's role in health care and have an opportunity to demonstrate their reactions this election season.

Sen. John Cornyn said the decision would spur Republicans in Congress to "redouble our efforts to repeal this job-killing law."

"We must replace it with reforms that expand access and enhance care without adding trillions of dollars to the national debt and inserting Washington bureaucrats between Americans and their doctors," Cornyn said.

On the other side of the aisle, House Democrats like Rep. Gene Green of Houston said he was pleased with the ruling.

The Affordable Care Act has already benefited millions of Americans and will continue to help those who are in greatest need of health insurance: children, young adults, people with pre-existing conditions, and people who are financially constrained," Green said. "It's good to be able to move past the question of constitutionality and continue implementing the bill."

Houston Democrat Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee praised the court for its decision, citing the ruling as a victory for the American people as a whole.

"We have a broken health care system and the Democratic Congress along with President Obama for the first time in the history of the United States were together able to show the world effectively and compassionately that we are interested in saving the lives of American people through the Affordable Care Act," she said.

"We have a broken health care system and the Democratic Congress along withPresident Obama for the first time in the history of the United States were togetherable to show the world effectively and compassionately that we are interested insaving the lives of American people through the Affordable Care Act.